The Hornets have spent the offseason living in basketball purgatory, and that’s exactly why a Jerami Grant swing makes so much sense.
Charlotte just finished 44-38, its first winning record in years, then flipped LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges as if the roster were headed for a full teardown. But the moves since then haven’t looked like a tank job. The Hornets re-signed Coby White and added Naz Reid, Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, and Dorian Finney-Smith, while reportedly planning to keep Reid even after taking calls on him.
That leaves Charlotte in a tricky middle ground. Good enough to dream about another Play-In push, but not strong enough to stand with the East’s best.
If the Hornets want to build around Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, White, and Reid, the missing piece is obvious: a real starting power forward. Grant fits that lane.
A proposed framework would send Charlotte Jerami Grant without forcing the Hornets to part with a first-round pick. In the deal, Charlotte would receive Grant, while Memphis would get Grayson Allen and Grant Williams.
The money works in a way that helps both sides. Based on 2026-27 salaries, Charlotte would send out about $32.4 million combined between Allen’s $18.1 million and Williams’ $14.3 million.
Grant is set to make $34.2 million, so the Hornets would take on roughly $1.8 million more. Memphis would trim that same amount.
The cleaner savings come in 2027-28. Grant has a $36.4 million player option, while Allen’s option sits at $19.4 million and Williams would be off the books after this season. That would give Memphis close to $17.0 million in possible 2027-28 savings.
On the court, Grant is still a quality starter even if he’s no longer a star. Last season he averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.1 assists while shooting 45.3% from the field and 38.9% from three. The rebounding is light for a 6-foot-7 forward, but the scoring and spacing would immediately lift Charlotte’s starting group.
The real appeal is the pairing with Reid. Reid posted 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists last season, and his shooting pulls opposing bigs away from the basket.
Grant does similar damage in a different way, stretching the floor, attacking closeouts, running in transition, and defending bigger forwards. Put them together and Charlotte suddenly has five-out spacing it hasn’t really had before.
That group wouldn’t be built on defense. Reid isn’t much of a rim protector, Grant’s defensive reputation is probably stronger than his current impact, and neither player is a strong rebounder.
But offensively, the fit is cleaner. White handles the point, Knueppel moves without the ball, Miller stays the top option, and Grant doesn’t have to pretend he’s the focal point.
Miller already averaged 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists last season, and Grant would give Charlotte another scorer who can chip in 15 to 18 a night without needing everything run through him. He can score against smaller defenders, get to the line, and ease the burden on Reid and Knueppel when the first action breaks down.
Allen is the biggest outgoing piece, but his fit in Charlotte is more replaceable than painful. He averaged 16.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.8 assists last season, though his shooting slipped to 40.3% from the field and 34.9% from three. He’d help plenty of teams, but the Hornets already have White, Knueppel, and a crowded group of wings.
Williams is essentially an expiring contract now and wasn’t going to start ahead of Reid. Two far-off second-round picks on top of that is a modest price for a proven starter, especially for a Charlotte team that still has plenty of draft capital after the Ball and Bridges deals.
For Memphis, the appeal is getting out from under Grant’s deal without attaching extra assets. His $36.4 million player option is the kind of number that gets unwieldy on a rebuilding roster. In return, the Grizzlies would get Williams’ expiring money and Allen on a more manageable contract.
Allen could also have trade value later. Teams always want shooting, and his career three-point mark remains above 40% despite last season’s dip. Memphis could give him 25 minutes a night, let his numbers rebound, and flip him later for another pick or a young player.
The two Timberwolves seconds don’t headline the return, but Grant’s contract was never going to bring back a blockbuster package. Memphis acquired him as veteran salary in the Ja Morant trade, not as part of its next core. Turning him into lighter money, a couple of picks, and nearly $17.0 million in 2027-28 flexibility is a smart reset.
This wouldn’t make Charlotte a contender overnight. But a starting five of Coby White, Kon Knueppel, Brandon Miller, Jerami Grant, and Naz Reid would be a real watchable group, with shooting, scoring, and enough size on the wings to chase a playoff spot. For Memphis, it’s straightforward rebuilding math: clear the contract, add the picks, and move on.
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